Texans QB CJ Stroud leaves game with concussion, Broncos rally for 18-15 win

HOUSTON (AP) — Bo Nix knows Sunday's win over the Houston Texans wasn't pretty.

That seems to be a theme with several of Denver's wins lately and their quarterback is perfectly fine with that.

“It proves that we can win tough games and it proves that our mentality can adjust to where we expect to find ways to win,” Nix said. “It’s a really good issue to have is when you’re finding these ugly wins.”

Nix threw two touchdown passes and Wil Lutz made a 34-yard field goal as time expired and the Broncos rallied for an 18-15 victory Sunday to extend their winning streak to six games.

“We did just enough things to come out of here with a win,” coach Sean Payton said.

That's been the case with many of Denver's games in this streak, with four of them coming by four or fewer points. They improved to 4-0 this season in games where they trailed entering the fourth quarter.

The Broncos (7-2) had punted three times in a row before a 25-yard scramble by Nix got them to their 39 with less than a minute to go.

“We wanted to move the pocket and get a new launch point, change up the pace for those edge guys,” Nix said. “And we got out on the end and felt like everybody was running over there for the pass and there just ended up being a good lane. And I finally got to use my legs there at the end."

J.K. Dobbins followed with a 9-yard scamper and a 9-yard run by Nix two plays after that set up the game-winning field goal.

Nix couldn’t do much in the first three quarters against Houston’s top-ranked defense, but RJ Harvey’s 27-yard TD reception and Troy Franklin’s 2-point conversion grab tied it at 15-all early in the fourth quarter.

C.J. Stroud sustained a concussion when he was hit at the end of a slide early in the first quarter. Ka’imi Fairbairn tied a career-high with five field goals, but the Texans struggled to move the ball with Davis Mills at quarterback after Stroud’s injury.

They punted six consecutive times after a field goal made it 15-7 on their first possession of the second half.

“Disappointed as a team that we didn’t finish the game,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “The defense, they did a good job of getting stops multiple times. We just sputtered there offensively, we lacked just being able to move the ball. We lacked just being able sustain drives there in the second half. It just wasn’t good enough.”

Mills was 17 of 30 for 137 yards as the Texans fell to 3-5. Houston was 0 of 3 in the red zone and converted just 3 of 17 third downs.

Nix 18 of 37 for 173 yards with an interception.

The Broncos were down by six when Courtland Sutton's 30-yard touchdown grab gave them a 7-6 lead about five minutes before halftime.

Houston regained the lead with a 38-yard field goal with less than two minutes left in the first half.

Michael Bandy fumbled a punt with about 40 seconds left in the second quarter and it was recovered by Jaylin Smith. Houston cashed in on the error with a 40-yard field goal to push the lead to 12-7 at halftime.

Harvey had five catches for 51 yards and his score made him the first rookie to have a touchdown catch in three straight games in franchise history.

Nico Collins had seven catches for 75 yards for Houston after sitting out last week recovering from a concussion

The Texans had a first down on the 1 on their second drive. But Nick Chubb was stopped on first down and British Brooks was stuffed on the next two plays before a false start penalty on fourth down forced Houston to settle for a field goal to make it 3-0.

Stroud was injured on the next possession. He scrambled for 6 yards and was hit on the shoulder near the end of his slide by Kris Abrams-Draine and the back of his head violently bounced off the turf.

Calen Bullock intercepted Nix on Denver’s ensuing possession to give the Texans the ball near midfield. Collins had a 26-yard reception to get that drive going and a 10-yard catch a few plays later gave them a first down at the 2.

But the Texans couldn’t do anything after that and a sack of Mills on third down left them to settle for another field goal to push the lead to 6-0.

Fairbairn missed from 51 on Houston’s first drive.

Injuries

Denver: Star cornerback Pat Surtain II missed the first of what is expected to be several games with a pectoral strain. … DB J.T. Gray left in the third quarter with a hamstring injury. … WR Trent Sherfield injured his knee in the third.

Texans: LB Christian Harris missed the second half with a shin injury. … OL Tytus Howard left in the first half to be evaluated for a concussion. … DE Darrell Taylor injured his ankle in the third quarter.

Making history

Marcedes Lewis made history Sunday, when at age 41 he became the oldest tight end to ever play in an NFL game. When he entered the game on the fourth snap of Denver’s first drive he also became the oldest player to appear in a game in franchise history. Lewis, who was signed Wednesday, is the second-oldest active player in the NFL behind Aaron Rodgers, who will turn 42 in December.

Blocked

Denico Autry blocked a 51-yard field-goal attempt by Lutz on Denver’s first drive. It’s the 13th blocked kick of his career, tying Julius Peppers for the second most in the NFL since 1991.

Up next

Broncos: Denver hosts Las Vegas on Thursday night.

Texans: Houston hosts Jacksonville next Sunday.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL